Following the Supreme Court's decision, the situation regarding fireworks in Delhi has begun to change. The court permitted the production and sale of special 'new generation green fireworks' that comply with established standards and compositions. This means that it is now possible to manufacture and sell fireworks assembled as a garland, provided certain conditions are met.
These new green fireworks must adhere to specified norms regarding composition, emissions, noise levels, and safety. The central government informed the court that garland fireworks manufactured according to standards developed by CSIR-NIRI may be allowed in limited quantities and subject to conditions.
A garland consists of a series of individual fireworks connected together, where one firework explodes, triggering the next. In older garlands, up to 25 different 'cake' elements could explode within one second. In the new version, this speed is reduced to five 'cake' elements per second. This reduces the rate of explosions, as well as the amount of smoke and noise generated from the simultaneous detonation of a large number of fireworks.
It cannot be claimed that these fireworks are entirely free from pollution. The goal of green fireworks is to minimize the emission of particulate matter and gases compared to traditional fireworks. CSIR-NIRI has developed various compositions for such fireworks by altering the quantity and structure of chemical substances. Research into additives, such as geopolymers and iron oxide, was also conducted to reduce emissions.
According to CPCB, new compositions with fewer barium or nitrate salts and other oxidizers have shown a reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 emissions by 45–60% compared to traditional fireworks. Nevertheless, the study modeling the impact on air quality in Delhi, as well as in Bhopal, Kolkata, and Chennai using low-barium green fireworks, is still ongoing. The report on this study is expected to be submitted by October 15.
The court clarified that this approval does not mean that fireworks can be set off throughout the day. The court noted that a complete ban could negatively affect people's sentiments, but setting off fireworks all day would affect everyone, including the elderly, the sick, and children. Therefore, separate directives will be issued regarding the designated time for setting off fireworks. A final decision on fireworks containing barium will be made after receiving the CSIR-NIRI report.